Dispensing can



J. H. MILLER- DISPENSING CAN June 7, 1932.

Filed July 17, 1931 Patented June 7, 1932 JOSEPH H, MILLER, or HOUSTON, TEXAS I 7 OF C DISPENSING CAN Application filed July 17, 1931. 7 Serial No. 551,382.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensing cans and is particularly directed to a can having a discharge-nozzle or spout through which the contents is discharged.

Cans of this general character are shown in prior U. S. Patents 1,570,270 of January 19th, 1926, and 1,638,778 of August 9th, 1927, both of which were granted to me.

The present improvement is more particularly directed to a valve structure whose operation, either to open or close, is materially facilitated by the mere act of turning the can to a pouring position or moving it in a reverse direction to stop the flow of fluid therefrom. a

Cans of this type are especially useful for dispensing belt-dressing over driving-belts of machinery, which dressing should be protected against dirt or dust and should be kept sufficiently tight to prevent evaporation of some of its important ingredients. To this end, I provide an improved valve structure with means which will enable the flow of the contents to assist in opening asQwell as closing the valve structure. i p

l/Vith these objects in View, the accompanying drawing illustrates the invention, where- Fig. 1 shows a can to which my improved device is attached.

Fig. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional detail through the nozzle,the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. a

Fig. 3 shows a portion of the can in side elevation and the nozzle in longitudinal sec tion to illustrate the valve stem and parts therein,-the whole being tilted'to pouring position.

Fig. 4 illustrates another cross-sectional detail through the nozzle, the section being taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and v Fig. 5 shows the nozzle with its wall broken away to illustrate in perspective the positions of the several parts when they are in the nor- 5 mal position with the valve closed.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 such that it will normally be free from the designates the cylindric can-body having a head-end 11 with a breast 12 and a central nipple 13. The nipple is exteriorly threaded at 14 and has a central opening 15.

A flat ledge 16 is formed on the nipple about the opening '15 for a purposethat will presently be explained.

Obviously, the can maybe filled the opening 15. 7 V The can is provided with a spout or nozzle 17 which is slightly tapered, being largerat its base or attaching-end than at its dischargeend, and at the larger end this-nozzle is internally threaded so as to be detachably engaged with. the nipple 1.3. 1

A partition 18 extends crosswise on the interior of the nozzle near its attaching-end and this partition has a central opening 20v while the metal around said opening forms an annular seat 19 which will overlie the fiat ledge 16 ofthe nipple. A'gasket 21 is placed 7 between the seat 19 and the flat ledge 16 whereby to form a liquid-tight joint between the nozzle and nipple.

So far described, the structure of the presentdevice is substantially the same as that of my prior patents hereinbefore referred to.

The outer or smaller end of the nozzle 17 has a permanently-attached cap 22 'which latter may be soldered or otherwise attached to said nozzle-end. This cap has a central dlscharge-port 23 of a diameter that will perthrough mit the passage of fluid therefrom as well as allow a valve-stem 24: to freely extend therethrough.

The valve-stem 24 carries a disk-valve 25 and also has a finger loop 26 at the outer end beyond said valve.

The valve-stem passes freely through the port 23 of the cap and extends centrally and 85 longitudinally of the nozzle.

The inner end of this stem is formed into a stop loop 27 which is of a diameter that is slightly smaller than the interior diameter of the nozzle at that point where the loop is situated when the stem is in the nozzle to its full limit, and the disk-valve 25 isseated on the cap 22 over the central port 23. In other 7 words, the diameter of the stop loop 27 is interior tapered wall of the nozzle and will i not engage thatnozzle-wall until the stem has moved out sufliciently to move the diskvalve clear of the port and allow ample space, we

like head in function. This plate 29 has two opposite sides cutaway at 30 so asto leave gaps 31 between those sides and the mterior side wall of the tapered nozzle, while the diametrically-opposite sides 32 ofsaid plate are curved, but, when the stem 24 is in its innermost position with the valve seated,

these sides 32 of said plate will. be slightly;

spaced from said nozzle wall the spaces .33 being indicated in the cross-sectional detail of-Fig. 2. V V

This plate 29 serves a function in the pres 'ent structure which is not performed in my being held in place on the. nozzle, and the prior patents in which a plate of similar structure is shown, because in the patented structures the plates served as stops to limit the outward movement of the stem when the cap and stem were drawn opt. In this'instance, the stem carri-esno cap but a valve,the cap stem passes-freely through the cap. I

Inthe present structure, the stop-loop 27 limits the outward movement of the stem while the plate 29 acts as a movable'part-ition or piston in that, when the can is tilted to pour liquid therefrom, the weight of the liquid against theunderside of the plate pushes the plate and stem forwardand automatically unseats the valve 25. Upon reversal of the can from an inclined to an upright position, the trapped fluid in the nozzle against the forward side of the plate, plus gravity, will move the valve stem inwardly and seat the valve over the port 23 thus automatically closing the latter.

- The loop. 27 therefore engages the tapered interiornoz'zle wall and stops forward movement of the valve-stem 2 before plate 29 can become wedged in the tapered nozzle.

For these reasons, the plate 29 in this structure has a different function from the plates in my said prior patents.

The operation of the valve is thus an automatic one and does not depend upon the user to think to close the canafter each'operation of dispensing.

It will be noted that the valve stem hangs 'pendantly in the nozzle from the valve and that no guide means tocause friction .are providedon the nozzle,-all guide-means being on and moving with the stem.

. Preferably the stop loop 27 has a rightangle position relative to the cut-away sides 30 of the plate 29 and this loop together with the curved sides 32 of the plateprevent the stem from canting sufficiently to interfere with the operation of the valve.

with acan-body, of a tapered nozzle projecting from the can and having a dischargeport at the smaller end thereof, a stem extending freely through said nozzle-port and having a valve-plate which seats over said port and pendantly sustains the stem 1n the nozzle and means on the stem w1th1n ,the nozzle againstwhich fluid in the can may impinge to move the stem and unseat the valve.

2. In a dispensing can the combination with a can-body, of a tapered nozzle projecting from. the can and having a discharge-port at the smaller end thereof, a stem extending freely through said nozzle-port and having a valve-plate which seats over said port and pendantly sustains the stem in the nozzle, means in the nozzle to limit the outward move ment of the stem when unseating the valve and means carried by the stem against which the pressure of the, material in the can may impinge to move the stem and unseatthe valve.

3. In a dispensing can the combination with a can-body, of a tapered nozzle detachably connected with and projecting from the can said. nozzle having a discharge-port at its smaller end, a valve-plate seated overthe outer side ofth'e discharge-port, a stem depending from the valve plate into the nozzle and a loop formed on the stem and located in the nozzlefor engaging the wall of the latter to limit the outward movement of the stem when unseating the valve.

4. In a dispensing can the combination with a can-body, of a tapered nozzle detachably connected with and projecting, from the can said nozzle having a discharge-port at its smaller end, a valve-plate seated oven the outer side of the discharge-port, a stem depending from the valve plate into the nozzle, a cross-plate attached to the stem against which fluid from the can may impinge to push the stem outwardly and unseat the valve and means carried by the stem to limit the outward movement of the stem and prevent the cross-plate from wedging in the nozzle.

5. In a dispensing can the combination with a can-body, of a. tapered nozzle detachably connected with and projecting from the can, a cap secured to the smaller end of the nozzle and having a port therein, a stem passing freely through the cap-port into the nozzle,

a disk-valve carried by, the stem and seated Having described my invention, I claim,- I

1. In adispensing can the combination 

